BRONZE MEDAL GAME: 2009 CIS women’s rugby championship: Guelph hangs on for third straight CIS bronze

VANCOUVER (CIS) – Sophomore Jane Kirby of Brampton, Ont., scored two tries as the Guelph Gryphons edged the Concordia Stingers 15-10 to claim their third straight CIS women’s rugby bronze medal, Sunday afternoon at UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium.

With the win, the OUA champion Gryphons, who captured the inaugural Monilex trophy back in 1998 for their lone CIS title, reached the national podium for the fifth consecutive year including third-place finishes in 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2005, as well as a silver medal in 2006.

The Quebec champion Stingers equaled their best showing at the tournament. They also took fourth place in 1998.

Kirby’s second try of the game turned out to be the difference. With Guelph already leading 10-3 at the half, Kirby received a pass on the right wing 20 yards from the goal line, stiff-armed one defender and rumbled into the end zone to make it a 15-3 affair.

Concordia refused to go quietly however and came back to within five points with four minutes remaining in regulation when prop Lisa Hoffman of Montreal was pushed across the line during a maul. All-Canadian Jackie Tittley of Kirkland, Que., converted the try to make it a 15-10.

The Stingers couldn’t quite muster any late heroics to complete the comeback. They were driving towards the try line again in the final minutes, pushing a maul to within five yards of the end zone, but a penalty gave possession back to the Gryphons, all but sealing the Guelph victory.

“We tried to minimize our penalties and just went back to our traditional style of rugby,” said Guelph head coach Colette McAuley. “We kept the ball in-hand and played straight-up rugby and that seems to work well in these sorts of muddy field conditions.”

Brittany Sammutt of Port Colborne, Ont., opened the scoring in the seventh minute for Guelph, taking a pass on the left wing and turning the corner, out-racing the Concordia defence for the try.

Tittley answered for the Stingers in the 27th minute with a penalty goal to keep her side within striking distance.

“We were really good today and the effort was fantastic,” said Stingers head coach Graeme McGravie. “I can’t ask for anything more from the girls than what we got today.”

Kirby picked up her first try just before halftime. After the Gryphons’ initial run was stopped just shy of the try line, she took control out of the ruck and pounded it in to make it 10-3 heading into the break.

“We got better and better this weekend,” said McAuley. “I think it was tough coming in here because we really dominated our conference easily so all of a sudden when we were under pressure at this tournament we didn’t adapt as quickly as I had hoped. But by this game we were back to playing Gryphon rugby. The girls played hard, they played fantastic, and I am so proud of them.”

Two-time defending champion Lethbridge faces StFX for CIS gold at 2 p.m. Pacific Time, in a rematch of last year’s final.

SCORING SUMMARY
GUE 10-5: 15
CON 3-7: 10

First half
1. GUE: Brittany Sammutt (try, 5 pts)
2. CON: Jakcie Tittley (penalty kick, 3 pts)
3. GUE: Jane Kirby (try, 5 pts)

Second half
4. GUE: Jane Kirby (try, 5 pts)
5. CON: Lisa Hoffman (try, 5 pts), Jackie Tittley (convert, 2 pts)

Players of the game
GUE: Jacey Murphy (Alliston, Ont.)
CON: Sarah Nesbitt (Regina, Sask.)

ROUND-ROBIN STANDINGS, SCHEDULE & RESULTS (all times LOCAL: PACIFIC)

Final Pool A standings
GP W L T PF PA PTS
1. Lethbridge 2 2 0 0 66 3 9
2. Concordia 2 1 1 0 10 15 4
3. Western 2 0 2 0 3 61 0

Final Pool B standings
GP W L T PF PA PTS
1. StFX 2 1 0 1 28 10 6
2. Guelph 2 1 0 1 15 10 6
3. UBC 2 0 2 0 0 23 1

NOTE: a win is worth 4 points and a tie 2 points.
NOTE 2: 1 bonus point is awarded for scoring 4 tries or more in a game, and 1 bonus point is allowed for a loss by 7 points or less.

Friday, Nov. 6
Round-Robin Pool A: Lethbridge 51, Western Ontario 3
Round-Robin Pool B: StFX 18, UBC 0
Round-Robin Pool A: Concordia 10, Western Ontario 0
Round-Robin Pool B: Guelph 5, UBC 0
Round-Robin Pool A: Lethbridge 15, Concordia 0
Round-Robin Pool B: StFX 10, Guelph 10

Saturday, Nov. 7
Semi-final 1: Lethbridge 25, Guelph 0
Semi-final 2: StFX 13 Concordia 8 (2OT)

Sunday, Nov. 8
5th place: UBC 27, Western Ontario 0
Bronze medal: Guelph 15, Concordia 10
14:00 Championship final: Lethbridge vs. StFX

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